High Court dismisses a plea moved for using purse seine fishing nets in traditional waters

The first bench comprising the Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu dismissed the petition moved by Poompuhar Traditional Fishermen Welfare Association represented by Jambulingam Kabadikunju.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to the State to allow the traditional fishermen of Tamil Nadu to carry the purse seine net in their country crafts and the mechanized vessels for marine fishing within the traditional waters and Tamil Nadu and behind the traditional waters within the exclusive economic zones.

The petitioner’s counsel J Sushilkumar submitted that there is a prohibition is placed by the Tamil Nadu government restricting the Tamil Nadu traditional fishermen from using the purse seine net.

“The State should lift the prohibition and ban on the purse seine net in the country crafts and mechanized vessels for marine fishing in the sub-rule 7 of rule 17 of the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 1983 and GO number 36, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Fisheries dated 17.02.2020,” the counsel argued.

However, P Muthukumar, Government Pleader, submitted that the State government has not put any fresh restrictions and a ban has been in place since 2000.

“The State government has not issued any fresh restrictions and it has been following the fishing regulations passed in 2000. The Supreme Court also recognized the regulations issued in 2000. The petitioner has not challenged the same in 2000 and he is just challenging certain guidelines which were added later,” Muthukumar noted.

On recording the submissions made by the GP, the bench dismissed the petition.